Jude (NIV) – Commentary by Faith Posey

In this little book, Jesus’ little brother says a mouthful. He tells us to contend for the faith. I looked up the word contend because we don’t use this very much anymore. The definition says that to contend means to struggle or fight for something.

Jude urges his listeners to fight against heresies that slip in and those who use grace as a license. The thing that is hard about fighting is that you get tired after a while and start to think about giving up. You begin to question the importance of the fight and therefore the validity of the struggle. Jude encourages us to continue to persevere in our struggle against those who would distort the Gospel.

This is a timely message as we have just finished celebrating Christmas and are looking toward a new year. Maybe it’s a good opportunity to ask ourselves whether we have gotten lax about some important things. Have we just gotten tired of fighting against worldliness and given up in some areas? Are there things we used to think were worth fighting for that we are too tired or apathetic to put up much of a struggle for now? Are our families slipping further and further into the new normal of our culture without putting up much of a fight or even noticing?

The enemy puts up a good fight and never seems to tire. I am thankful that He who is in us in greater than he who is in the world, and by His strength we are stronger than the enemy. We can be relentless in our contention by His grace. We can be tenacious in our struggle, because it is He who provides all that we need.

Jude knew this and sandwiched his call for our struggle between these truths. In Verse 1, he says we are kept by Jesus Christ. In Verse 24, he says Jesus is able to keep us from falling and present us blameless before the Father.

We are, indeed, called to fight but only in His strength. It is Jesus who keeps us and empowers our struggles. It is important to remember this when we feel tired and defeated. Let’s continue to fight the good fight in the coming year, but only in His strength. That’s the only way we can be true contenders, anyway.